Wanted

by Kinrade, Karpov

  “I tried ignoring them,” he said again as I slid into the driver’s seat.

  “Yeah, sometimes ignoring doesn’t work,” I offered grimly. Ignoring Don hadn’t produced any magical results for me. How could I have thought it would for Jeremy?

  I blinked back tears and turned the keys. I couldn’t just abandon Jeremy at the hotel. And I certainly couldn’t take him home, not in this condition. At home, he had to be swift and nimble on his feet.

  Plus, the ER doc had made it clear he needed to be supervised in case of concussion. So, no school for a few days.

  I pulled out of the parking lot, onto the road, and drove as I weighed my options. Well…truthfully, there was only one option, and it weighed a shit-ton.

  I had to keep Jeremy safe.

  And I had to work.

  “Where are we going?” Jeremy asked.

  The Count had said to keep my personal life out of his business. And showing up with my bloodied brother in tow was nothing if not personal.

  Yet, did I have a choice?

  I didn’t answer Jeremy and kept on driving. When I finally pulled into the private driveway and drove up the long, winding road, he asked again, “Where are we going?”

  “We’re here,” I said as the mansion came into view.

  Jeremy stared, wide-eyed. "Is this where you've been living?"

  My stomach dropped when I realized what this must look like to him. I was living the rich life while he’d hidden out in shitty motels. What a wretch of a sister he must have thought me.

  I parked the car and then answered, "Yes. I'm the housekeeper here and it's a live-in situation. I don't think you can stay without me losing my job, but you can come inside until I figure out something.”

  “Okay.”

  His small voice broke my heart. My knuckles turned white as I clutched the steering wheel. I was so tired of my heart breaking all of the time. With a deep breath, I got out of the car and helped him out.

  He followed me inside, limping in pain and trying to hide it. I did my best not to hover over him, but it was hard. I wanted to give him a better life, but I wasn’t succeeding.

  Depressed and on edge, I led him up to my room. It took awhile to get there, and I felt bad about making him navigate up the stairs, but I only felt comfortable having him rest on my bed. I couldn’t impose on the Count anymore than I already had by installing Jeremy in one of the guest rooms without permission…even though he’d probably never notice… but still.

  “Nice room,” Jeremy said as he hobbled to the bed.

  “Take a nap,” I ordered as I dropped his Advil on the side table. “I’ll wake you up in a few.” As soon as I figured out what to do with him.

  He was out before I even reached the door.

  This time, I let myself into the Count’s office as the very first order of business. I couldn’t risk cutting it so close to evening anymore. And while I was ninety-nine percent sure he wasn’t awake, my heart still pounded as I quickly downloaded the files from each camera onto a USB thumb drive and reset them.

  I’d originally planned on driving to Jeremy’s hotel to use his school laptop to play back the camera results, but with his school bag conveniently in my car, I didn’t have far to go this time.

  I settled in the back seat, dug through his backpack, and turned the machine on. Ten minutes later, I was flipping the lid shut in disappointment. The Count hadn’t even entered his office, let alone opened the safe.

  Oh, well. I still had five days, didn’t I? I’d succeed. I would.

  And right now, I couldn’t waste time worrying about the future, not when I had Jeremy hiding out upstairs.

  My shift wasn't for a few more hours, so I went to the kitchen and made some pasta and garlic bread, Jeremy's favorites. At least he’d wake up to a good meal, for once. I brought it all upstairs on a tray that I left by his bed, then I ate my portion in silence in front of the fireplace as I obsessed over what, if anything, I should tell the Count.

  Maybe, I could hide Jeremy for one night and sneak him out in the morning? Surely, the Count wouldn't even know he'd been here. This place was so big, and Jeremy looked so pale, with deep purple bruises under his eyes. He needed rest. He needed to feel safe.

  And the school was getting suspicious. His teacher said he's been falling asleep in class and seemed more anxious than usual. They wanted to talk to our father, but I put them off. For now.

  After I finished eating, I checked on Jeremy one last time, drawing the covers up to his chin and tucking him in more snugly. He smiled in his sleep and nestled down in the pillows, no doubt, on some deep level remembering mom, so I hummed a song she used to sing to him when he was a baby.

  Sleeping, he looked even younger than normal, so innocent and fragile.

  And that settled things for me. I made up my mind right there, even knowing I’d just invited the universe to bite me in the ass, as it so often enjoyed doing.

  It didn't matter.

  I'd take the hits for this kid any day.

  I kissed his forehead, then closed the door softly behind me as I went downstairs to start my shift.

  When I saw the Count, I’d have my say, and he would listen. I wouldn't lie or break his rules, at least not in this. But I wouldn't back down, either. I was doing all this for Jeremy, and right now what my brother needed most was me and a safe place to live until I could get us out of here. So, I was going to give him that.

  I was mopping the kitchen floor when I felt the Count's presence before he spoke.

  “Who is the bleeding child in your room?”

  I looked up, propping my fist on my hip and holding the mop in my other hand.

  The thought that he’d visited my room pleased the dark, aroused side of me even as the rest of me got pissed—and a little scared. I couldn’t lose this job. Not now. I had a whole thing planned in my head, not expecting he'd beat me to the punch and ruin my lead in.

  “Well?” he didn’t wait to prompt.

  “My brother.” I jammed the mop back into the bucket so hard the water slopped on the floor. “He needs to stay here awhile. And before you toss me out, just think for a second, will you? How can I send him home to my father? You’ve seen what he's like. Jeremy’s weak enough as it is, don’t you think?”

  The Count looked at me from under furrowed brows. Damn it. What a poker face. You’d think after our recent intimacy that I’d understand him even an inkling more, but I saw nothing in that face.

  Then, he whirled and just left me there.

  I dropped the mop and ran to my room. Arriving out of breath, I twisted the doorknob, only to hear the Count’s voice already from inside.

  I shoved the door open so hard it bounced off the wall.

  The Count sat on the edge of the bed, supporting Jeremy as he drank from a goblet. They both looked at me, surprised.

  I just stared, mouth agape. How the hell had the Count gotten here so fast? He must have prepped the drink before he’d even asked me about Jeremy, but then…why had he even bothered to ask?

  Jeremy grinned and waved for me to join them. "The Count is giving me his family recipe. Says it’ll help and it’s all natural.”

  If it was the same mixture that he’d given to me, then I knew Jeremy would be healing fast. I walked to the bed and sat on the opposite side of the Count and brushed a lock of Jeremy’s hair out of his eyes. He needed a haircut.

  When my brother finished the goblet, the Count gently eased him back on the pillow. "You'll sleep deeply and wake up feeling refreshed, Jeremy," he assured.

  With the way Jeremy’s eyes drooped, I doubt he even heard. I knew he’d be asleep in minutes.

  As the Count took his goblet and walked out of the room silently, I followed at his heels.

  Out in the hall, I grabbed his arm. "Thank you," I said, nodding my head at the bedroom door. "He hasn't seen a lot of kindness in his life."

  "He is a special boy," the Count murmured, and when he looked down at me, I saw the empathy beh
ind his expression. Then, he added, "But he cannot stay here."

  Even though I knew I didn’t have the right to complain—rules and all—I opened my mouth to protest.

  The Count raised a hand to silence me. "My life… this house… isn't suited for children."

  I snorted at that. "You think my house is? At least here, he won’t get beaten up. He'll have food. He'll have love." I swallowed the lump in my throat. "He'll have me.”

  The Count said nothing. He just towered over me, his face a mask once more.

  I didn’t let that stop me. “The thing is, I can't live here if I can’t keep Jeremy with me. I could still work for you. Do all the things you need me to. But I need to take care of my brother, and that means I need access to my phone at all times. He was stuck in the nurse's station for hours because they couldn't reach me. I can't do this to him. Not after everything he's been through."

  By the end of my passionate speech, I was standing on the tip of my toes, hands clenched into fist. Yes, I risked everything by trying to change the rules, but did I have a choice? I could only hope the Count had a heart somewhere in that broad, chiseled chest—despite the fact I hadn’t heard it beat.

  "You would give up this job to be with him?" The Count raised a dark brow.

  My heart sank at the question’s direction, but in this, I had no problem telling the truth. “Yes.”

  "He’s lucky to have you."

  A tear escaped down my cheek.

  The Count frowned and wiped the pad of his thumb across my skin to catch it. “Then you wish to renegotiate the terms of your employment?"

  That didn’t sound like a fully closed door. “Yeah. I guess I do," I said.

  "And what do you propose?"

  My mind raced to come up with an answer I could live with. "Let us both stay here, with full access to our phones and computers. We can share my room if you don't want to give up a guest room.” I could live with that. Easy. But as for his side of the deal, I had only one card. “You can dock my pay to compensate.”

  I could tell he wasn’t impressed. “Money is a triviality to me,” he said.

  When he didn’t continue, my heart began to pound. I didn’t have anything else to bargain. Shit.

  “However.” His gaze shifted to something behind me, and the way he stared made me want to turn around to see what he was staring at. “I will require other services from you in exchange."

  My back stiffened. Was he putting me on that level, then? “What kind of services,” I grated, teeth clenched.

  His eyes immediately returned to mine. “Not what you're thinking." He stepped closer to me then, bringing his body an inch away from mine. “I was under the impression this part of our relationship was mutual?"

  My breathing shallowed as his scent overwhelmed me. “It was,” I whispered. “Is.” How could he—without even touching me—make me so weak with need? I licked my dry lips and asked again, “So, what services?”

  Again, his gaze turned unseeing as he focused over my shoulder. “Those will become apparent as the need arises," he replied, not answering the question at all.

  I was about to insist he ask nothing illegal, but who the hell was I kidding? I was way past worrying about what was legal and what wasn't. And anyway, for Jeremy, I’d do it all.

  "So, we have a deal?" I asked, lifting my hand for a handshake, but there was so very little room between us, my hand grazed his hip.

  He caught my fingers in his and running the pad of his thumb over my palm, elegantly brought my hand to his lips. God, the gesture was so practiced, so smooth. And his lips, kissing me so gently, felt like a butterfly landing on my skin. Doubtless, he must have kissed countless women this way, but still, I felt special. Unique. My knees trembled.

  “We have a deal, Kassandra,” his deep baritone rumbled beneath my skin. “Jeremy stays away from my private suite and office, and he follows the rules set forth. If either of you break them, you both are out. There will be no further negotiation. Are we clear?"

  I nodded. “Crystal.”

  He let me go, trailing his thumb again in a way that increased the intimacy of the simple gesture of letting go of my hand. I watched him, my pulse racing, as he took the hall in long strides and vanished into the darkness.

  Jeremy could stay.

  If only this situation could last. If only I didn't have to screw up this whole thing in less than a week.

  But the clock was ticking. And if Don got to Jeremy, no amount of magic family potion would cure him then. I didn’t have a choice. I had to follow Don’s instructions to the letter.

  10

  When I woke the next afternoon, it was to hear Jeremy whistling under his breath.

  I’d fallen asleep on the couch. I propped myself on an elbow and looked up to see my brother resting on his stomach on a fully made bed, reading a book, face relaxed and whistling softly as he always did when he concentrated on something interesting. He’d obviously been up for a bit.

  I’d really done it. I’d secured him a safe place to stay—with me even. And after…after Don did what he did, Jeremy and I would be off to Canada with our fake IDs, and no one would ever threaten us again.

  “Feeling better?” I asked as I sat up.

  Jeremy rolled himself off the bed, a gesture that should’ve been impossible with a broken rib.

  “I’m awesome.” He grinned, jumping to his feet.

  The Count should sell that potion. He’d make millions. But then… I glanced around at the luxury of my room, and that was just a single room in a mansion of many. Well, maybe that was where his wealth came from?

  I turned back to my brother. God, it was so nice to see him happy. “The Count said you can stay here, for a bit,” I said. “But there are rules.”

  “Rules? Right.”

  I led Jeremy down to the kitchen, reciting the rules along the way. Then, I made him breakfast. A shake, like I made myself. Now that I knew he was going to be here for a bit, I’d have to hit the grocery store for things he liked to eat. He wasn’t a picky eater, but he did prefer to stay in the realm of the familiar. Standard things like, eggs, white bread, Mac ‘n Cheese, pasta.

  “And school?” Jeremy asked when I turned off the blender. His expression had turned guarded.

  Yeah, I wasn’t shipping him back to those bullies anytime soon. “Urgent care said you’d be out of school for at least a week,” I said. “And even though I’m sure you could run a marathon right now, you’re out for the week.”

  Wow. Two wide grins in a single day, and we’d just gotten started. I found myself grinning back, despite all the shit that was going on. My thoughts darkened for a moment. Don. The robbery. What the hell was I doing? But I brushed off the worry, at least for now. Seeing that grin on Jeremy’s peaked face made it all worthwhile. I chose to bask in that for as long as I could.

  As I rinsed out the blender and our glasses, my eyes caught on a piece of paper resting on the countertop.

  Eggs. Gruyere Cheese. Rosemary.

  The list went on, each item written in elegant calligraphy, complete with flourishes.

  I blinked. So, a grocery list, Count style? I guess he was getting tired of eating whatever ethereal food he’d been downing besides his strange wine. Somewhere, deep inside, part of me heaved a sigh of relief. It was an odd reaction. I guess I’d been bothered by his strange dining habits—or lack thereof.

  “I’ve got to head out,” I told Jeremy as I snagged the list. “You stay here and study. You’ve got a science project, right?”

  He didn’t mind staying in my room. I dumped off his school backpack on the bed, and before I left, made him recite the rules and pinky-promise not to explore.

  I’d just dropped the last grocery bag into the trunk of my car when hands gripped my shoulders from behind.

  I whirled, lashing out, as I heard the word, “Four.”

  Don grabbed my wrist before my fist could connect with his face.

  “Whoa, girl.” His eyes took on that sic
k mix of anger and interest. Violence always turned him on. “Maybe you should detour over to my place, huh?”

  “Only got four days, Don,” I snapped, wrenching myself free. I hated his skin touching mine. “Gotta go.”

  He blocked my path. “So, you got Jeremy living with you now, huh?”

  How the hell did he know that? Was he stalking me?

  “Just don’t get any ideas in that head of yours,” he warned, flicking me on the side of the head. “Stick to the plan. Or else.”

  He walked away with that self-important swagger of his and I dashed inside my car and locked the door, my palms slick with sweat and my heart hammering against my chest.

  How did he know so much about mine and Jeremy's day-to-day life? And the Count’s business, too?

  It struck me as I pulled off the road and into the mansion’s long driveway.

  Don must have bugged the place. And he was listening to everything we did and said.

  I checked the cameras, but I didn’t see anything. My mind wasn’t really on the safe’s code, anyway. I was still trying to figure out how Don was spying on us. He'd either set up surveillance before I’d even arrived at the mansion for my interview, or else he’d dropped a few bugs the night I’d forgotten to lock the door. In either case, a thorough cleaning job was on the books tonight.

  Since I couldn’t afford any more gadgets, I’d done a little research on how to locate bugs on the cheap. Brute force and using your cellphone were my only two options. At least I’d gotten my phone back and wouldn't have to sneak it in for this.

  I inspected the entryway first, thoroughly ‘dusting’ every lamp, unscrewing every lightbulb, and peeking under every piece of furniture. The suit of armor in the corner was particularly time-consuming.

  My search turned up nothing, and before I moved on to the next room, I called the bank. Why the bank? Well, according to the internet, wireless cameras and microphones emitted specific radio frequencies that interfered with cellphone signals. Apparently, you just had to walk around on a call and if you heard clicks in a specific area…voila, bug found. And since I didn’t have anyone I actually wanted to talk to that long, I’d settled for the number that always put me on hold.